Disclaimer: They are not mine. Never will be.
Chapter 4: In charge
Rael dropped off the bags of grocery on the kitchen island. "What are your instructions?" he asked Seira.
"I appreciate your assistance in this matter," she replied. "I will take over from here." She bowed and moved to remove the contents of the bags.
"You agreed that you would let me help you!" he panicked at being declined again. "I offer my assistance and will follow your lead."
Siera gazed at him thoughtfully. "You may unpack the bags. I will be back momentarily." She left as he busied himself with arranging produce on the counter.
A small box with a picture of a cake caught his attention.
I have seen Seira serve something similar to this, thought Rael. To think that it comes in a box.
He opened the box and removed the plastic bag inside. He peered inside the box and saw no cake. "Where is it?" he wondered aloud. "He shook the plastic bag filled with white powder. "This seems too small to hide such a large item."
He sliced the bag open and sifted his hand inside the powder. Nothing. He dumped the powder on the counter to inspect it more fully. He narrowed his eyes at the box and glanced back at the white powder. This box is misleading.
He saw a similar box with a different picture on the front. He turned it over. This one has pictures! He concentrated on the instructions. It looks like water must be added to it. This is more complicated than I anticipated.
He dumped the box in the sink and turned on the tap. How long was he supposed to wait? Was it 5 minutes? It has already been 15 minutes and it hasn't grown a bit. What am I doing wrong?
Suddenly, he remembered the Ramen the Noblesse so loved to eat. I should probably put it in bowl! How stupid.
He took a bowl from the cabinet and dumped the soggy box inside. He filled it with water and waited.
5 minutes passed. He stared intensely at the contents of the bowl. "Nothing's happening!" he exclaimed.
Surely this cooking thing would not be above his skills, he thought. Cooking! I did not cook it! How much more stupid can he be? How many times had he watched Seira cooking in the kitchen?
He moved the bowl to the stove and turned on the heat. Soon, the water started to boil. Rael congratulated himself. That wasn't so hard, Seira will be proud. I have mastered this human custom.
After a few minutes of boiling, all the water evaporated from the bowl and a faint smell of smoke started to emit from the stove.
Rael stood staring at it, observing quietly. "This still doesn't look like anything Seira makes." This is hopeless, he moaned inwardly. I should ask for help.
He left the kitchen to search for Regis. No sooner than when he opened the door, that he bumped into him.
"ooof," said Regis, clutching at his abdomen.
"Regis!" Rael said brightly. "I was just about to look for you."
"Rael?" he straightened up. "What are you doing in the kitchen?"
A faint flush creeped up his neck. "I wanted to do something for everyone, " he confessed. "Come help me."
Regis gave him a curious glance as he opened the door to the kitchen. He stopped in his tracks and whirled on Rael. "What did you do?!"
"I told you, I wanted-"
Just then Takeo, Tao and M-21 entered the kitchen. "Hey, Sei-!" Tao started. His eyes bulged as he took in the state of the kitchen. He jumped to turn off the stove.
"Where's Seira?" inquired M-21. He stood by Tao's side and looked inside the bowl of burnt box and plastic.
"She left me in charge of the kitchen." Rael said defensively. He crossed his arms over his chest and raised his chin petulantly.
A bell dinged in the distance.
All of them flinched except for Rael.
"Takeo! M-21!" Tao shouted orders. "Go stall the boss. We'll take care of everything here."
"What do we say?" asked M-21.
"Just make something up!" said Tao as he pushed them out the door. M-21 abruptly left while Takeo stood dumbfounded on the threshold.
Tao snapped his fingers in front of his face. "What are you doing, Takeo?" his voice rose several notches. "Go and help M-21!"
"I can't do that!" Takeo snapped out of his trance. "I suck at lying!"
"Just tell him your stomach hurts and you need him to check it out."
"He'll know right away that I'm faking!"
Tao swung his arm and punched Takeo in the stomach. "oof!" Takeo grimaced as he curled in pain.
"That looks convincing enough," said Tao. "Now go! Before we all get murdered."
A/N: I have hit a writer's block here. I have a few ideas, but they just don't seem to work.